Artist: Jan Cameron (b. 1948)
Mr Jan Cameron was born in Jakarta, Indonesia on the 5th December, 1948. Since his childhood, Mr Cameron has shown a love for drawing and began his education in art as an apprentice of Mr. M. Toha, the palace painter of President Soekarno’s era. As the champion of several painting competitions throughout his elementary, junior high and senior high school levels in Jakarta, Mr Cameron demonstrated his artistic talent and inclinations.
Mr Cameron decided to continue his studies in West Germany where he studied Art of Painting on realism, impressionism, and surrealism. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the Munich Academy of Fine Arts in Germany (Akademie der Bildenden Kunste Munschen). Following that, he was engaged in a study tour around France and the Netherlands, and also held solo exhibitions in Munich and Frankfurt, Germany.
After living abroad for almost a decade, the Indonesian artist decided to return to his hometown, Jakarta. There, in the south of Jakarta, he established an advertising agency and assumed the position as its art director. Mr Cameron concluded his 20 years of creative work at the advertising agency and retired to become a full-time artist. Currently, if he is not at his workshop creating more wonderful paintings, Mr Jan Cameron spends most of his time travelling while being active in many major art exhibitions in Jakarta.
Pursue the Target
Against the raven black background, art goers are transfixed by the leaping chestnut animal in Pursue the Target whose horse hair radiates a light caramel sheen. With its long slender legs and muscular torso, the moving horse gallops at full speed away from danger. Mr Cameron’s fluid lines and expert-level knowledge of the interaction between shadow and light allows him to create a captivating instant of a startled wild horse that breaks away. In the gleam of the creature’s eye, the audience registers fear, unrest, and timidity. Observers of Pursue the Target take on the role as the “hunter” or the “intruder” who unsettles the peace in the dense, quiet forest. Imagine this...
The tall trees and impenetrable greenery shield the forest inhabitants from the strong rays above, and looming shadows created heighten the suspense in the wilderness. Little creatures and gentle beasts emerge from their hiding spots and venture into the open areas unsuspectingly.
“Crack!”
Unintentionally, the human intruder steps on a twig that ruptures the stillness in the air. Ears prick up and all animals freeze, trembling but careful not to draw attention to themselves. Chestnut horses that were grazing grass look up, and shift uneasily as they hope the noise is a false alarm. The air is ripe with anxiety and nervousness. Both parties wait… till,
“Trst… trst.” The scuffling of boots on fallen dried leaves is heard! All panic - the animals fearing for their lives while the forest trespasser is aware that the animals know of his presence. Bunnies hop towards their rabbit briskly, the cawing birds flock away, and the horses disperse Eastwards, charging away from the noise.
Desperate to not let them get away, the hunter sprints after the speeding horses who glance back at him in terror. In this brief chase, the encroaching human raises his shaking hand to snap a picture with his camera. The animals are finally left in peace.
With biodiversity loss being one of the most serious environmental problems, Mr Jan Cameron’s artwork reminds viewers of the precarity of the ecosystems. With this in mind, though the majesty entailed in Pursue the Target is not dampened, its subject matter induces tension. To kindle such complex emotions is a testament to the artistic mastery of Mr Cameron.
Eternal Love
Having lived in Jakarta during his formative years and for a significant part of his adult life, Mr Cameron is familiar with the flora and fauna in his country. Eternal Love concerns the affection between two black hornbill birds perching on a tree as they observe the surrounding landscape. Unlike Pursue the Target, more emphasis is placed on depicting the vibrant colours found in the fertile tropics and the iridescent feathers of the birds in this painting. Their black and white tail that flaps excitedly when prey is spotted is a pleasant contrast to the scintillating greenery that frames the art piece.
Eternal Love may be referring to the black hornbills’ relationship as mates that would last their lifetime, or it may be the artist’s appreciation for the natural world. A traversing theme across Mr Jan Cameron’s paintings is the intrinsic value of Nature, even though it does have extrinsic worth. Surrounded by the wonders of Indonesia’s ecological landscape, it is no wonder that Mr Cameron urgently wants to protect it from his fellow humans.
